Energy storage apparatus

• US 8,758,916 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Fuse, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): D'aniello, Nicholas P
• Application Number:
  US13/062,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 429/90, 356/237.1
• US Class Current: 429/90
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/00 Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating

Abstract

Techniques associated with energy storage devices are generally described. An example energy storage device includes a battery integrated with a sensor such as an optical waveguide. The sensor can be arranged in contact with an outer wall of the battery and can be configured to detect a safety condition associated with the battery.

Claims

1. An energy storage device comprising:

a battery having an outer wall extending lengthwise between opposing ends of the battery; and

a sensor including an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide extending substantially lengthwise of the battery along at least a portion of the outer wall between the opposing ends, the optical waveguide comprising a core layer positioned between an outer cladding layer and an inner cladding layer, the inner cladding layer arranged in direct contact with at least the portion of the outer wall of the battery, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a safety condition associated with the battery.

2. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein the core layer comprises a cured resin, the cured resin including one or more of:

fluorinated polyimide light-curing resin, acrylic-based light-curing resin, and epoxy-based light-curing resin.

3. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein an optical transmittance of the core layer is configured to decrease in response to outward-directed pressure exerted on the optical waveguide by outward expansion of the battery.

4. The energy storage device of claim 3, wherein the optical waveguide comprises one or more of:

a single optical waveguide completely surrounding the outer wall;

a single optical waveguide surrounding the portion of the outer wall; and

/or

a plurality of optical waveguides distributed at respective locations about the outer wall.

5. The energy storage device of claim 3, further comprising:

an optical signal source coupled to an end region of the battery and configured to emit an optical signal into the optical waveguide; and

a detector coupled to an other end of the battery and configured to receive the optical signal after passing through the optical waveguide, and also configured to detect an intensity of the optical signal after passing through the optical waveguide.

6. The energy storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

a source configured to transmit an optical signal to the sensor; and

a detector configured to detect an intensity of an output signal of the sensor.

7. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the core layer is about 50 micrometers and a thickness of the inner cladding layer and of the outer cladding layer is about 60 micrometers.

8. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein a numerical aperture of the optical waveguide is about 0.15.

14. The energy storage device of claim 5, wherein the optical signal has a substantially constant intensity.

15. The energy storage device of claim 6, further comprising a control module configured to control the source and the detector, wherein the control module is configured to issue a notification when the detected intensity of the output signal is determined to be either below a predetermined intensity threshold or outside of a normal range of operation.

16. The energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the detected intensity falls below the predetermined intensity threshold or outside of a normal range of operation in response to a decrease in transmittance of the optical waveguide caused by outward expansion of the battery and corresponding deformation of the optical waveguide.

17. The energy storage device of claim 16, wherein the predetermined intensity threshold corresponds to a predetermined pressure outwardly exerted by the battery on the optical waveguide.

18. The energy storage device of claim 15, wherein the notification includes an indication to shut off a device using the energy storage device or to reduce a consumption of the energy storage device.

19. The energy storage device of claim 6, further comprising a reflective element configured to focus the output signal of the sensor onto the detector.

20. The energy storage device of claim 6, further comprising an optical fiber configured to redirect the output signal of the sensor to the detector.

21. The energy storage device of claim 1, wherein a total length of the core layer is substantially the same as a total length of the outer wall from the opposing ends of the battery.

9. An energy storage device comprising:

a battery having an outer wall extending lengthwise between first and second opposing ends of the battery; and

at least one optical waveguide arranged in contact with at least a portion of the outer wall of the battery and that extends lengthwise of the battery such that a total length of the at least one optical waveguide is substantially the same as a total length of the outer wall from the first opposing end to the second opposing end of the battery.

10. The energy storage device of claim 9, wherein the at least one optical waveguide comprises a core layer positioned between an outer cladding layer and an inner cladding layer, the core layer positioned at a predetermined distance from an outer surface of the outer wall.

11. The energy storage device of claim 10, wherein an optical transmittance of the core layer is configured to decrease in response to outward-directed pressure exerted on the at least one optical waveguide by outward expansion of the battery.

12. The energy storage device of claim 10, further comprising:

an optical signal source coupled to an end region of the battery and configured to emit an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide; and

a detector coupled to an other end of the battery and configured to receive the optical signal after passing through the at least one optical waveguide, and also configured to detect an intensity of the optical signal after passing through the at least one optical waveguide.

13. The energy storage device of claim 12, further comprising a control module configured to control the optical signal source and the detector, wherein the control module is configured to issue a notification when the detected intensity of the optical signal after passing through the at least one optical waveguide is determined to be either below a predetermined threshold or outside of a normal range of operation.

22. The energy storage device of claim 10, wherein the inner cladding layer is in direct contact with at least the portion of the outer wall of the battery and the core layer extends lengthwise of the battery such that a length of the core layer is substantially the same as the length of the outer wall from the first opposing end to the second opposing end of the battery.